Noah's News Blog

Come and Enjoy the Variety of Nature at Noah’s Ark this Summer!

We all know that variety is the spice of life, and it’s something Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm has in abundance. With over 100 different species in 110 acres of space, a trip to Noah’s Ark is the perfect way to introduce your children to the diversity of animal life this summer holiday. They will learn all about each species as they make their way around the grounds, and they are sure to be amazed by our animals, both big and small.

Noah’s Ark is home to what we call the Big Zoo Animals. Come and say hello to our elephants, rhinos, giraffes and ‘big cats’ – and there are bound to be plenty of photo opportunities along the way. Get up-close to our tall giraffe friends and then head over to see the big, strong white rhinos. Coming from South Africa, where the climate is mild all year round, they are enjoying the warmer temperatures of the summer months.

A trip to Noah’s Ark will give your family a chance to learn about the work zoos do for endangered species including breeding programs. We are privileged to be able to offer a spacious, rich environment to some of the world’s most endangered species. African elephants, gibbons and white-headed vultures are all part of European Endangered Species Programmes (EEPs) which links the work of member zoos around the world. Our white rhinos, lemurs, tigers and Brazilian tapirs have all been classified as ‘endangered’, with Noah’s Ark providing a valuable home.

Our African lions, Zulu and Masai, and their lioness companions Arusha and Wilma have certainly made Noah’s Ark their home, as have our Bengal tigers, Tiana and Khan. And just wait ‘til you see Elephant Eden, Northern Europe’s largest elephant habitat! Spanning over an impressive 20 acres, it has been described as a “five star luxury destination for elephants” – and it’s easy to see why!

We are always over the moon to announce new births at the zoo, and we’ve been having something of a ‘summer boom’ recently. We now have three new South American Rhea chicks and two capybara babies to add to our growing variety of animals. Come and say ‘hello’ to them and you will learn some interesting facts along the way; for example, did you know that South American Rheas are actually flightless birds, famously studied by Darwin during his early travels in South America aboard his ship the ‘Beagle’? And were you aware that Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents (think oversized Guinea Pig!)?

For those eager to learn more, our daily educational keeper talks are a fun way to widen your knowledge regarding our amazing animals. Our experts will tell you all about reptiles, big cats, elephants, giraffes and more, so make sure you take a look at our event timetable and head to the location in time for the talk.

We look forward to welcoming you to Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm and hope you go home at the end of your visit with some newfound knowledge about our huge variety of animals – as well as plenty of happy, fun-filled memories.

Reptile Fortnight at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm

Between Monday 27th July and Saturday 8th August, we will all be going a little reptile crazy here at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm! For the tenth consecutive year running, we will be holding ‘Reptile Fortnight’, which involves twice-daily venomous snake shows in Ark Arena, in our specially-built, secure presentation room.

Reptile Fortnight is produced for us by Reptile Zone in Bristol. Based in Filton, the specialist shop is run by Pete Blake, an experienced snake-handler and venomous expert. Pete has an unrivalled knowledge when it comes to reptiles – from the smallest gecko to the black mamba – and certainly knows his stuff. Luckily for us, Pete will be here at Noah’s Ark, giving fascinating talks about some of the world’s deadliest snakes, including the black and green mambas and the rattle snake.

Pete will also be able to educate watchers on the importance of snakes, and how the knowledge gained from studying them and their venom has been used for a variety of human medicines and technological advances. He will be quashing any myths about snakes – explaining why they are generally harmless and how they usually avoid any confrontation with humans.

Visitors will be given the rare opportunity to get up-close to some non-venomous snakes and reptiles, including lizards and the Mississippi alligator. Not only can you meet these reptiles but, for the small price of £5, you can have your picture taken with one, and these branded photos can be taken home with you to remember your unique experience at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm forever.

Get down to the Ark Arena for the Venomous Snake Shows at 12.30pm and 2pm, and you’re guaranteed to come away with new-found reptile facts, as well as a great photo of your experience to hang on your wall. Kids will love seeing these mesmerising reptiles close up, and it will be a great talking point for them when they return to school in September.

A trip to Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm really is the perfect day out this summer for both adults and children alike. Youngsters will have a fun-filled adventure, whilst learning all sorts of animal trivia at the same time. Once you have visited our amazing animals, there are plenty of other activities to keep them occupied. With our indoor and outdoor play areas, mazes, on-site gift shop and café, they will want to return again and again!

Why not give them a little summer holiday pocket money to spend in our wonderful shop? As well as bags of animal food available (so that they can feed a variety of animals including deer, camels, llamas, goats and ducks), there’s a whole host of souvenirs, books and toys to choose from.

We look forward to seeing you for Reptile Fortnight. Book your great value family ticket online and surprise the kids with the news that they are visiting Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm this summer! It’s guaranteed to put a smile on their faces.

School’s Out for Summer!

At last, summer is officially here! As of this week, kids across the country have a long stretch of holiday in front of them. While we can’t guarantee back-to-back days of sunshine, we can promise a fun-filled family day out at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm. There’s so much going on here that it needn’t be a one-visit trip either; once your little ones have experienced Noah’s Ark, they’ll want to keep coming back for more! And why not? With outdoor and heated indoor play areas and a host of amazing animals to keep them entertained, it really is an all-weather destination.

It’s also a great way of getting kids active. In this digital age, it’s important that children experience the great outdoors and can go back to school in September with some great memories of action-packed days out with their friends and family.

According to a recent study by Dr Pooja Tandon, revealed by TIME magazine, spending time outdoors helps with children’s mental, physical and cognitive development. Health experts recommend that children aged two and above should partake in at least an hour of moderate intensity physical activities every day. However, new research suggests that an average child in the UK plays outside for only 49 minutes per day.

A fifth (20%) of children involved in the study said they were reluctant to get involved in outdoor activities because they were “too boring.”

Well, we can say with a great amount of confidence that Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm is anything but boring. If you want to entice your children outside this summer, simply show them the Noah’s Ark website and start planning your visit!

We have a host of indoor and outdoor play areas to suit children of all ages – from our Jungle Den and Welly Splash Pool for the little ones, to drop slides, mazes and zip lines. There are plenty of areas to roll out your picnic blanket when the sun is shining, or we have a fantastic on-site café serving fresh and healthy meals, snacks and drinks.

And let’s not forget the big zoo animals. Noah’s Ark is home to plenty of them! From elephants and giraffes to rhinos and tigers, you can get up-close to some of these amazing creatures. Set within 100 acres of land, there is plenty of space for your little ones to run around and burn off some energy.

Two adults and two children can receive a day ticket for just £49. To purchase your great value family ticket, you can buy them online at a discounted rate or at the ticket office in full upon arrival. We look forward to welcoming you to Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm this summer!